The Técnico professor Manuel Ricou (Department of Mathematics) gave his last lecture on 25th January, in Abreu Faro amphitheatre, to a large audience. “The audience in this room shows the importance of Manuel Ricou for Técnico”, said the Head of the Department of Mathematics, professor José Mourão.

“A living legend of Mathematics at Técnico”, Manuel Ricou was a Técnico professor for 50 years and he was also a student (Electrical Engineering). He got a PhD from the University of Minnesota for his thesis “Energy, Entropy and the Laws of Thermodynamics”.

Later on, he returned to Técnico where he taught different math subjects, namely Applied Mathematics and Computation. “He is considered by many of his students as one of the best teachers ever, if not the best teacher ever”, said the Técnico professor Luís Barreira (Department of Mathematics).

And, in the end, a return to the beginning: the obsession with Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, “when I finally have the time and the precious help”, shared professor Manuel Ricou.

The Abreu Faro amphitheatre became too small for everyone who wanted to attend this “biographical note by episodes”. Professor Manuel Ricou was often applauded at the end of his lectures. The last one was no exception.